Compendium of history and biography of Minneapolis and Hennepin County, Minnesota, Part 53

Author: Holcombe, R. I. (Return Ira), 1845-1916; Bingham, William H
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Chicago : H. Taylor & Co.
Number of Pages: 1190

USA > Minnesota > Hennepin County > Minneapolis > Compendium of history and biography of Minneapolis and Hennepin County, Minnesota > Part 53

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In the winter of 1902-3 the Crookston Lumber company, formed by the consolidation of the St. Hilaire and the old Crookston companies, built a large mill at Bemidji containing two band saws and a gang saw and 'capable of turning out 70,000,000 feet a year. To supply this mill with logs a logging spur twelve miles long was built, penetrating to the east of Red Lake and connecting with the Minnesota and International Railway at Hovey Junction. By this move the company secured direct transportation by rail from the timber to the mill and made available a large body of timber which had before been difficult of access. The Crookston Lumber com- pany owned, at the time of Mr. Shevlin's death, tributary to its various plants, approximately 400,000,000 feet of stumpage, which insures its operation for many years. In January, 1904, the general offices of the company were moved from Crookston to Bemidji, where they have since been maintained.

In connection with the manufacturing plants mentioned a number of retail yards have been operated under the name of the St. Hilaire Retail Lumber company, additional yards being established from time to time to complete and keep up the chain of lumber handled from the tree to the company and the consumer. While this arrangement has added largely to the profits of the companies establishing it, it has also been of great value to the purchasing public in making it easy and convenient for customers to get lumber near at hand, promptly delivered, and at reasonable cost.

A thorough investigation of the timber and lumber condi- tions in the South led the Crookston Lumber company to pur- chase a large interest in the Winn Parish Lumber company, which owns approximately 1,000,000,000 feet of virgin pine in Louisiana and is engaged in the manufacture of lumber as Pyburn in that state. A similar examination of the Pacific Coast territory led Mr. Shevlin to purchase personally large holdings of timber land in British Columbia, the future possi- bilities of which, under enterprising and skillful development are almost incalculable.

In the fall of 1903, as if there was no limit to their enter- prise and sweep of vision, Mr. Shevlin and his associates or- ganized the Shevlin-Clarke company. limited, in the province of Ontario, and bought timber berths from the Canadian govern- ment aggregating 225,000,000 feet of pine stumpage. In the same year the Rainy River Lumber company, limited, was formed by Mr. Shevlin and E. L. Carpenter of the' Shevlin- Carpenter company and E. W. Backus and W. F. Brooks of the Backus-Brooks company as principal stockholders. This company bought a large amount of timber from the Canadian government, and in the winter of 1903-4 erected at Rainy River, Ontario, one of the most complete sawmill plants in the world, with an annual capacity of 70,000,000 feet. This mill is very much like the Minneapolis mill, built by Mr. Shev- lin earlier in his career, which was at the time of its erection the largest and most complete ever put up. Summing up the whole story, the various lumber companies in which Mr. Shev- lin was interested when he died, have an annual output of more than 300,000,000 feet. He was the originator and the controlling spirit of all this vast wonderwork of industrial operations, and the mere recital of the figures its transactions involve and the values they embody serves to suggest in an impressive manner the enormous sweep of his vision, the firm-

ness of his grasp and the magnitude and comprehensiveness of his business ability.

But this man of imperial range in industrial and mercan- tile affairs was a genuis of many parts, and did not confine his activities to only one line of endeavor. Enormous as were his business enterprises, with all of which he kept in close touch, Mr. Shevlin still found time and energy to take a keen interest in public affairs and the duties of citizenship. He was a Re- publican in politics, strong in his convictions and zealously loyal to his party. In its service his energy never slackened and his feelings never grew cold or even lukewarm. He was the Minnesota member of the Republican national committee from 1900 to 1904, and in this position proved himself to be a great power of strength and usefulness to the organization he served, the extent and value of his services being especially notable in the campaign of 1900. But he never accepted or sought a political office, either by election or appointment, ex- cept as stated above, although frequently urged to allow the use of his name as a candidate. The only political or quasi- political position he ever held besides that of national commit- teeman and delegate to the Republican national convention of 1900, was that of delegate to the Reciprocity convention which met in Washington city. These were honorary posts to which no salary was attached.

Because no special mention has been made of Mr. Shevlin's activity in behalf of public improvements and welfare work for this city and state it is not to be inferred that he was indifferent to them. On the contrary, he was always one of the most energetic and helpful supporters of worthy under- takings for the good of the people and the general advance of his locality, and he always brought to their aid judgement broadened and seasoned by comprehensive intelligence and studious reflection, as well as liberal assistance of a material kind. He was also earnestly and serviceably active in the club life of his own and other communities, belonging to the Min- nesota, the Minneapolis, the Commercial, the Minnetonka Yacht, the Automobile, and other clubs at home, and the Union League clubs of New York and Chicago, the 'Manitoba club of Winnipeg, and many more in different parts of the country. It should be noted that he was also a heavy stockholder and a director in the Security National Bank of Minneapolis, pres- ident of the Iron Range Electric Telephone company, and in- terested in many other important business enterprises. In addition, he was warmly interested in the cause of education, and made this manifest by donating to the University of Min- nesota the Alice Shevlin hall and five $10.000 scholarships.

On February 8, 1882, Mr. Shevlin was united in marriage with Miss Alice A. Hall. Three children were born of the union: Thomas Leonard, who has taken his father's place in the business the latter conducted; Florence, who is now the wife of D. D. Tenney, and Helen, who is the wife of George C. Beckwith. Mr. Shevlin died at Pasadena, California, his demise occurring on January 15, 1912, as has been stated above.

The imagination cannot but revel in the mammoth under- takings and achievements of this man. And yet he was mod- est and unostentatious in his demeanor, genial and companion- able in his disposition and easily approachable and courteous in his treatment of all comers. He was frank and candid always, both with those whom he favored and those whom he opposed. He was a fine public speaker, eloquent and persuasive, and very effective in his appeals to reason. A man of great gifts and great wisdom in the use of them; broad-minded and pub- lic-spirited in large measure; devoted to his country and loyal

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HISTORY OF MINNEAPOLIS AND HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA

to his friends; true to every attribute of elevated manhood- America reveres him as one of her highest types of citizenship and Minnesota as one of her brainiest, brightest and most up- right and useful men.

JOHN TRUE BLAISDELL.

The life story of the late John Truc Blaisdell, who died August 25, 1896, with those of his parents, brothers and sisters and other early residents with whom he was associated, embraces much of the history of the city itself in its forma- tive period.

He was born at Montville, Waldo county, Maine, April 25, 1826, a son of Robert and Mary (Chandler) Blaisdell, the former born at Peacham, Vermont, Dceember 14, 1802, and the latter in Massachusetts, November 23, 1801. The parents were married at Montville, January 1, 1825, moved to Wiscon- sin in 1847 and to Minneapolis in 1852, accompanied by their sons, Robert, Jr., William and Isaac, and their daughters Caroline C., Hannah E. and Rachel E. The latter is the only member of this family still living. She is the widow of the late Hiram Van Nest, and resides with her son Charles in Minneapolis. In 1849, three years before the arrival of his parents and family, John T. Blaisdell came to St. Anthony, boarding for a time in the family of Deacon Harmon. He had been a lumberman in Maine, following the same occupation here for two years. He then took up a claim between Nicollet and Lyndale avenues and Franklin avenue and Twenty-sixth street, as they now exist, and built his home on Nicollet avenue between what are now Twenty-fourth and Twenty- fifth streets, and thereafter devoted his energies principally to the cultivation and improvement of his farm.

His father took up a claim on Thirty-eighth street with Twenty-fourth avenue as its eastern boundary, and there he died April 27, 1887, and the mother September 8, 1888. Robert's claim adjoined John's, extending south to Lake street. William's farm was near Powder Horn lake and probably included it. Robert married Miss Elmira Taunt, of Wisconsin, May 1, 1855, and John T. Miss Isabell L. Gates, of Albany, Vermont, July 1 of the same year. Their wives came with them as brides, and both couples, as also the husbands' sister Caroline and her husband, David Langley, and two children, all lived with the parents until each family had a child born within a few weeks of each other. William, Isaac, Hannah and Rachel were also still living at home.

Within a few years the expansion of the town led Mr. Blaisdell to plat his farm into an addition, following it later with the John T. Blaisdell revised addition. This was a mile long and a half a mile wide, extending from Franklin avenue to Lake street and west from Nicollet, and included his brother Robert's farm. He also platted three additions in the Bryn Mawr section of the city and the John T. Blaisdell addition in North Minneapolis. In addition to his property in the city he owned large tracts of land in Traverse and Sherburne counties and large farms in Wright and Hennepin counties.

In association with R. P. Russell he was largely instru- mental in building up. South Minneapolis and securing the Blaisdell school, which was named for him. He was active in polities as a Republican, and was a regular attendant of the First Unitarian church, whose pastor, Rev. H. M. Simmons, lived in the old Blaisdell home for many years. He was

also a charter member of the Minneapolis Grange and deeply interested in the fair. He warmly supported the movement to preserve thic Agricultural College lands for the use of the farmers, and was proud of the college in the later years of his life. He lived twenty-nine years in his old home, then built a modern brick residence at 2244 Nicollet avenue, where his last years were passed with the companionship of his daughter Mary.

Mrs. Blaisdell, died Feb. 28, 1891. She was the daughter of William B. and Mariam J. (Goodrich) Gates, natives of New Hampshire, who came to Minneapolis about 1857, and died at their home, 608 Fourth street north, the father Jan- uary 17, 1866, and the mother April 7, 1883. This old home is still in the family. He operated a blacksmith shop, the second in Minneapolis, and is often now spoken of as "the old village blacksmith." His family consisted of three daugh- ters and one son, Mrs. Sarah G. Baird, of Edina Mills, being the sole survivor.

Mr. and Mrs. Blaisdell had five children. Mary A., was born April 6, 1856, in her grandfather's house. For some years she carried on a millinery business, and during the elosing period of her father's life was his main dependence in the management of his affairs. She is a Christian Scientist and attends the Sixth church of that faith. Ada M. is the wife of Leslie Beach of Minneapolis. George L. died Sep- tember 19, 1907. Sarah E., who was the wife of William Anderson, died June 23, 1908, and Robert A. died January 21, 1888, aged seventeen years.

SUMNER BOOKWALTER.

The late Sumner Bookwalter, whose useful life ended in Minneapolis on February 14, 1913, passed through several occupations before he finally settled down to the one he deemed himself best fitted for.

Sumner Bookwalter was born at Hallsville, Ohio, on April 25, 1858, the sixth of seven children and the last born of four sons of Rev. Isaac L. and Phebe (Johnston) Bookwalter, then living in that town. The father was a minister of the United Brethren chureh, and, after long service in his sacred calling, was induced to come to Minnesota in 1864 for the benefit of his health, which was then failing. He visited Minneapolis, but considered the soil too sandy in this neigh- borhood for successful farming. So he went by stage from St. Paul to Mankato, and not far from that city he bought 600 acres of Blue Earth county land, which he at onee began to transform into a productive farm, continuing his efforts in this direction until 1870. The family improved the farm residing on it six years.

Isaac L. Bookwalter was born at Colerain, Ross county, Ohio, in 1820, February 6, and was a son of Joseph and Elizabeth Bookwalter, who had moved from Berks county, Pennsylvania, to that portion of Ohio four years before. He grew to manhood and was educated in Ross, and after leaving school worked at different oceupations for a number of years, but at farming mainly. In 1852 he was licensed to preach, and in the course of time became the presiding elder of the Western district of the church, which included the extreme frontier of Minnesota. He preached in this territory in school houses, dugouts and sod shanties, as well as often in the open air.

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HISTORY OF MINNEAPOLIS AND HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA

In 1870, his health having been in a measure restored by his outdoor life, he accepted an appointment as pastor of the church of his sect at Western College in Linn county, Iowa. He had also in view good opportunities for the educa- tion of his children in agreeing to take this appointment. The college then located in the town named has since been removed to Toledo, Iowa, and is now the Leander Clark college, but it is still under the patronage of the United . Brethren church. Rev. Mr. Bookwalter was a strong anti- slavery man, an abolition advocate, an opponent of secret societies and fraternities, and radical in all his views. As a young man he helped to work the Underground Railroad for the escape of fugitive slaves, and throughout his life he was zealous in defense of any position he took on any subject of public interest. In 1869 he was vice president of the National Christian Association, and in 1907 he died at Lisbon, Iowa, at the advanced age of eighty-seven years, forty of which were passed in active work in the Christian ministry. His ·widow is still living in Chicago, and is now ninety-three, and one of the sons is pastor of a Congregational church in Kansas City, Kansas.

When he was twelve years old Sumner Bookwalter entered Western College, and after matriculating in that institution, while he was yet very young, he engaged in teaching school, attending college part of the time. One of the young ladies studying at the college was Miss Maria Louise Kelley of Wilton, Iowa. At the first sight of her young Bookwalter determined to win her affection and make ber his wife if he could. He was successful in his suit, and they were married on December 29, 1881. She reached the age of twenty on December 20, and the marriage occurred nine days later.

After his marriage Mr. Bookwalter became the manager of a boot and shoe store in Marion, Iowa. His father-in-law, S. G. Kelley, was the pioneer in the creamery business at that time in that section of the country, having started it first in Scott county, and having creameries at his bome farm, Muscatine county, Wilton, West Liberty, Lone Tree and other places. He put Mr. Bookwalter in charge of the creamery at West Liberty, and he remained there three years. At the end of that period he went with Mr. Kelley to Chicago for the purpose of starting a wholesale produce store in that city through which he could dispose of the products of the creameries to advantage. Mr. Bookwalter had charge of this store for three years, then, in 1888, came to Minneapolis to live and engage in business.

At this time his brother Joseph had an office in St. Paul as the land commissioner for the Great Northern Railroad, having previously served for some years as collector of customs at Pembina, North Dakota. With the purpose of starting a bank, he sent Sumner to Pembina to learn the business in a bank in that city. But fate had other lines of endeavor for both of them. Joseph was sent out to develop the new born town of Great Falls in Montana for the Great Northern Rail- road, and Sumner was soon afterward appointed to a position in the service of the state of Minnesota.

The office to which he was appointed was that of state registrar of the railroad and warehouse commission, and he received it at the hands of Governor McGill. He held this office until he was appointed by the board of directors to organize the office of registrar of the Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce. He was kept in this office until it was abolished about the year 1906. His mind was ever active and inquiring, and while serving as state registrar he attended the night

course in the law department of the State University, from which he was graduated in 1892, but he never practiced the profession. His knowledge of Chamber of Commerce matters was very extensive and exact. He kept in touch with all the grain elevators operated in the state and knew accurately all about them. He also owned two memberships in the board of trade, and gave its doings close attention.

In 1906 Mr. Bookwalter started an enterprise in tbe produce trade in Minneapolis. His wife's brother was employed as manager in the Hanford butter factory at Sioux City, Iowa, and Mr. Bookwalter began to handle its butter on November 3, of the year mentioned. His son, who was a student but worked evenings and Saturdays, introduced this butter by showing small samples to grocers. The demand for it grew so rapidly that Mr. Bookwalter saw great possibilities in the trade, and these were soon realized in large measure. The sales of his establishment in the year 1912 covered 763,000 pounds of this butter, and the house is now engaged in the wholesale trade and is the exclusive distributor of the celebrated Hanford products in this locality. Since the death of une proprietor the business has been conducted by his widow and his daughter Hazel.

Mr. and Mrs. Bookwalter became the parents of four children: Their son Joseph S. and their daughter Hazel, Lucile, and Louis S. Joseph is a graduate of the architectural department of Columbia University in New York city and is practicing his profession in tbat city. Hazel obtained a fine musical education at the University musical department, and under Professor Cross, and she now teaches piano playing of a high order to the others at home. All the members of tbe family belong to Westminster Presbyterian cburch, as did Mr. Bookwalter during his life. He was a great worker in his church.

CHARLES CRANSTON BOVEY. .

Charles Cranston Bovey, one of the leading business men of Minneapolis, has been a resident of this city since 1870. He is a native of St. John, New Brunswick, wbere his life began on October 25, 1864, and where he passed the first six years of it. He began his education in the public schools of Minneapolis, which he attended until 1883. He tben passed three years at the Phillips-Andover Academy, at Andover, Massachusetts, from which he was graduated in 1886. Enter- ing the academic department of Yale University tbe next year, he pursued its full course of study until 1890, when he was graduated with tbe degree of A. B. Immediately after his graduation from Yale be accepted a position with Shepard, Henry & Company, railroad contractors in St. Paul, who were extending the Great Northern Railroad from Seattle north to a junction with the Canadian Pacific.

In February, 1891, Mr. Bovey entered the employ of the Washburn-Crosby company, with which he has been connected ever since. He is now one of the directors of this company, a director of the Minnesota Loan and Trust company and one of tbe executors of the estate of the late William H. Dunwoody. In religious affiliation he is connected with Plymouth Congregational church, and during the last seven years he has been one of the directors of the Young Men's Christian Association. He is also president of the board of trustees of Blake School. On June 14, 1898, he was married

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HISTORY OF MINNEAPOLIS AND HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA

to Miss Kate Estelle Koon, daughter of M. B. Koon. They have three children, Martin Koon, Ruth Alden and Charles Argalis. Mr. Bovey is modest and unassuming as to his own merit, but he is universally estcemed throughout Minneapolis as a citizen of genuine worth and great practical usefulness, and as a gentleman of high character, lofty ideals and superior business capacity.

CHARLES JAIRUS MARTIN.

Was an ornament to the business world,-he was looked up to wherever he was known as a high-minded, honorable, genial, generous and cultivated American gentleman, and no higher tribute can be paid to any man in any condition in life.

Mr. Martin was not a native of Minnesota, but he passed thirty-six years, more than half his life, in Minneapolis, and in that time became thoroughly attached to the state, deeply interested in its welfare and that of its residents, and known as one of the wisest and most active promoters of every enterprise that involved its and their advancement and improvement. He was born on a farm in Orleans county, New York, on April 2. 1842, and was a son of Dan and Dorcas (Putnam) Martin. his mother having been a kinsman of Gen- eral Israel Putnam, the rough and ready, but daring, skillful and able hero of the Revolutionary war.

The early life of Mr. Martin was passed on his father's farm, and his scholastic training was begun in the public school in the neighborhood of his home. After completing its course of study he attended Brockport (New York) Collegiate Institute, from which he was graduated after passing through the regular literary course of study. As he approached manhood he found the great, undeveloped West had a · winning smile for him, and he moved to Columbus, Ohio, where he became associated with his uncle J. T. Lewis, afterward governor of Wisconsin, and worked in his store. In 1862 he followed Mr. Lewis, to the latter state, of which he was then the chief executive, and became a clerk in his office.

In 1864 the devotion to the Union, which was one of this gentleman's salient characteristics throughout his life from boyhood, impelled him to enlist in the Fortieth Wisconsin Infantry as a private soldier. His regiment was assigned to the Army of the Tennessee, and the division commanded by Major General Cadwallader C. Washburn. His military service was short, and part of the term of his enlistment was passed in a hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, and from there he was discharged from the army at the elose of the war. He had, however, become well acquainted with General Washburn, and when that gentleman was elected governor of Wisconsin in 1872, Mr. Martin was appointed his secretary and aide.

When General Washburn retired from the office of Governor his secretary and aide accompanied him to Minneapolis by his request, and he at once became connected with the gov- ernor's extensive flour milling interests here, and also with the Washburn Memorial Orphan Asylum in this eity. The work of looking after the details of the erection of the Orphans' Home devolved mainly on him, as did the greater part of the management of the Home after it was ready for occupancy. But he never severed his connection with the mills, and at the time of his death, and for many years

prior to that event, he was secretary and treasurer of the Washburn-Crosby company, one of its members and a leading foree in its management and the control of its business.

Mr. Martin's long and intimate association with Governor Washburn, his deep, abiding and serviceable interest in every- thing that the governor was concerned in, his warm attach- ment to the Orphans' home, his ability and enterprise in business affairs, and his unwavering fidelity to every duty, gave the governor great satisfaction and was of vast advantage to him. So great was his confidence in Mr. Martin and his regard for him, that he named him as one of the executors in his will, Charles Payson, the governor's son-in- law, and General Van Steenwick of La Crosse, Wisconsin, one of Mr. Washburn's closest friends, being the other two. They were actively employed for eight years in settling up the estate.

At one time Mr. Martin was vice president of the old Bank of Commerce, and for several years he was treasurer of the Millers' National Association. He was also made the. custodian of many trusts, all of which were executed with conscientiousness and the utmost fidelity. Although he was deeply and sincerely interested in benevolent work, his large and important part in charitable undertakings was conducted with the extreme of modesty and self-obliteration. He was liberal to all undertakings for the public good; made large donations to the parks of his home city; aided the public library with money, counsel and earnest work; took a cordial and helpful interest in all civic improvements; was one of the guarantors of the fund to be raised to support the orchestra, and a life member of the Art Society.

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Compendium of history and biography of Minneapolis and Hennepin County, Minnesota, Part 53

Author: Holcombe, R. I. (Return Ira), 1845-1916; Bingham, William H Publication date: 1914 Publisher: Chicago : H. Taylor & Co. Number of Pages: 1190

Author: Holcombe, R. I. (Return Ira), 1845-1916; Bingham, William H
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Chicago : H. Taylor & Co.
Number of Pages: 1190